It’s that time of the year again, time to look back at my reading and see which books have made my favorites list. So here it goes:
My favorites of 2013 were:
Fiction: The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving by Jonathan Evison, The Unseen by Katherine Webb, Dracula by Bram Stoker and Good Kings Bad Kings by Susan Nussbaum.
Mystery: The Black House by Peter May, Dante’s Wood by Lynne Raimondo, and Total Chaos by Jean-Claude Izzo.
YA: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Lowell
The numbers:
Total books read in 2013: 53
Books by women: 32
Books by men: 16
Books by several authors: 5
Fiction: 20
Mystery: 26
Young Adult: 1
Non-fiction: 1
Classic: 1
Graphic Novel: 1
Poetry Collection: 3
Books in translation: 9 (Danish, Finnish, French, German, Spanish, and Swedish)
Books from the library: 10
Kindle reads: 13
Challenges participated in: 4
Challenges completed: 2
While my total books read was lower than other years I am happy to see I did manage to incorporate some poetry books, books in translation and I even got in one classic. As always I wish there was more variety but there’s always next year right?
As far as my readolutions go, I am joining several challenges in 2014. There are authors who’ve been on my list to try for several years and I still keep putting their books back on the shelves so maybe this will be the year (some authors that come to mind are Nadine Gordimer, Jane Gardam, and Italo Calvino). As always I’m hopeful of reading more classics, more non-fiction and more poetry.
Most importantly, wherever my reading takes me I just hope to thoroughly enjoy it!
Thank you friends for sharing your reading life. I look forward to a lot of book talk with you in the New Year. May this year be filled with much health and happiness for you!
Hugs,
Iliana
Cheers to another great year of reading to come in 2014, Iliana!
I severely under-read compared to other years this year. It was sad. I haven’t finished my Best of post yet. I hope you have a wonderful reading year in 2014!
Eleanor & Park = LOVE. I’m always fascinated at the fact that 99% of the books you have read, I’ve not (and sometimes never even heard of!). As far as numbers and goals, as long as you are having fun, that is all that matters. I will be interested to see what my numbers do now that I’m not reviewing them on the blog.
Great list Iliana – loved Eleanor and Park. Happy 2014
What a variety of reads! I want to get back to reading a few more translations this year, they’re always a discovery.
I’m a hopeful reader, too! (As can be attested to by how many books I start reading…lol). You read so many mysteries–I am envious–I love them and always say I am going to read more but then I think I tend to think about reading them, am so spoiled for choice and can’t make up my mind, and so read fewer…makes not sense, but as you say–there is always next year!). Peter May is great and so is Jean Claude Izzo–you have a number of favorites that are new to me, so I have more titles to investigate! Happy New Year Iliana–hppe 2014 is wonderful for you!
Happy New Year! Thanks for taking the time to recommend the bookbinding read to me a few days ago. 🙂
Andi – Cheers! Hope you have a great reading year!
Kailana – I was kind of surprised at my number. I thought I was reading more! haha.. And, I didn’t even have that many DNFs. I think it’s just that I probably spend more time on other hobbies than I thought. Here’s to a great 2014!
Sandy – That’s the best part about blogging right? We may read a lot but we are still discovering new books all the time. And, yes, it’s all about having a wonderful time with our reads!
Diane@BibliophilebytheSea – Hope you have another fabulous reading year!
Melwyk – Last year I felt like my reading was pretty much of two genres so I tried to be a bit more conscious of my choices. Here’s to a great reading!
Danielle – Mysteries are my comfort reads too. Especially when they are series I enjoy I feel like I’m just revisiting with an old friend and they don’t require any effort from me. Looks like you had a great reading year and wishing you all the best!
Vasilly – You’ll have to post on any bookbinding adventures you take. I’d love to see!
It sounds like you had a really great year in reading! I haven’t read any of your favorite books but that is okay because it just means I can add to my TBR list a little more 🙂 I hope that you have an amazing year in 2014!
I loved Eleanor and Park too! It made my best-of list as well. I hope you have a fabulous 2014!
Readolutions–love it! I’m hoping for some more classics in my reading for 2014 as well. They always seem to get pushed to the side for me. happy new year again!
A good year. I like your stats! Yay for poetry books!
You had a great year in books! I’ve seen Eleanor & Park on several “best of” lists, so I’m thinking I’ve been missing out on something great. Happy New Year!
Samantha – That’s the wonderful thing about these lists right, adding more books to our TBR list! 🙂 Here’s to a great reading year!
Athira – Wasn’t it a great story? I still have to read Fangirl and am hoping to love it as much. Happy New Year!
Trish – For me too. I always say more classics and am lucky if I read one! Maybe this will be the year! Happy New Year!
Stefanie – I know right? I’ve already put a poetry book on hold at the library. I want to start off the year right 🙂
Anna (Diary of an Eccentric) – I hope you’ll give E&P a chance. It’s such a sweet story and awesome characters. Happy reading in the new year!
It sounds like you had a good year! I’m glad Dracula appeared on your list. What a fun book! I’m looking forward to reading Eleanor and Park soon. Happy New Year!
It looks like you had a great reading year! I have been wanting to read Eleanor & Park. Happy New Year!
I am kicking myself now for not reading Unseen by Katherine Webb this past year. It’s been sitting on my nightstand all last year along with a couple of other books I never got to. I am glad to see you enjoyed it so much!
Just about everyone whose read Eleanor and Park has that on their list of favorites. I really must add that one to my too read list as well.
It looks like you had a good reading year overall, Iliana. I hope you have a wonderful 2014 in books as well!
The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving is also one of my favorites! Still need to read Eleanor & Park. Best of luck in 2014 books!
I do love the best-of lists! And I’m delighted to see Katherine Webb featured there – she’s an author I’ve long been meaning to read. Happy, happy new year, dear Iliana, may 2014 be full of wonderful books and satisfying artistic endeavours for you!
Rebecca H. – I absolutely loved Dracula! I waited so long to read that one and thought I’d be disappointed but what a great surprise it was. I hope you’ll enjoy E&P. It’s such a great story and great characters!
Bookworm – I hope you get a chance to read it. It’d be a perfect read for the romance challenge 🙂
Literary Feline – I think some of the reviews of the Unseen were a bit mixed but I really enjoyed it. One of those books that just captures you. Hope you have a great reading year ahead!
Jenclair – I didn’t know what to expect with that book so it was such a treat. I’ve got another of his books on my shelves and am looking forward to it.
Litlove – It’s so fun to read the end of year lists isn’t it? Granted, it can be dangerous for the TBR list 🙂 Happy New Year to you too!